Can anyone one recommend a salsa dance teacher near Albany / El Cerrito
for myself and my husband? Neither one of us dance AT ALL and are looking
for a nonjudgmental, kind teacher to give us some private lessons and then
hopefully we will brave a class with other people! Thanks!
four left feet

There are two Cuban dance teachers in your area who are excellent and give
private as well as group lessons. They are an excellent fit for a
''nonjudgmental, kind teacher''.
Manuel Suarez 510-526-4189
Royland Lobato 510-467-9423
Have fun and good luck.
Anonymous
Your teacher should definitely be Gale, the owner of the DancEasy studio
in El Cerrito, San Pablo Ave across from the El Cerrito Plaza shopping
mall. Salsa night once a week. You will be very pleased with her. Call
510-524-9100. http://www.danceasy.com/
This is where I started out 5 years ago. Moved on to Allegro and Cafe
Cocomo since then.
Heike
Laurie Ann Lepoff can teach anyone to dance. Her business is Social Dance
for Shy People and Klutzes. You can see more at www.stepsontoes.com, or
call her at 510-444-4621.
Talia
You need to call LaurieAnn Lepoff! She specializes in just this type of
dance instruction and is an AMAZING teacher! LaurieAnn can help people
with two left feet, reluctant dancers, even people who can't hear the beat
and don't think they ever will! She firmly believes anyone can learn to
dance and she has a proven track record of making it happen.
Give LaurieAnn a call at (510) 444-4621 or check out her website:
www.StepsOnToes.com Best of luck!
kamila

I'm seeking a recommendation for a beginning Salsa dance class
in the Berkeley, Albany / El Cerrito area---either group lessons
or possibly private, depednng on the cost. I'm not interested
in a one time lesson, but onging classes. Thanks for any
suggestions.
Batya

Salsa - my favorite subject! Most places offer a lesson with a
dance party thereafter, which I highly recommend for the
following reasons: Dance lessons will teach you dance steps and
sequences, but these are no more than plain exercises if you
just do them with the same partner in the same order. Dancing
means learning how to follow as a woman and leading well as a
man and dancing with lots of different people will teach you
that. Ever had the dream to sweep with someone across the dance
floor and magically move in synch without preconceived
choreography? It's not magic, it's focus - but it feels magical!
Do lessons and dance parties together from Day 1. Based on
this ''philosophy'' let me recommend the places in order of
suitability:

1. Allegro Ballroom in Emeryville, Sundays from 7pm-whenever,
$10. They have website. Hottest spot! Best dancers. People come
up from San Jose just to dance salsa there. Isabelle is the
best local female salsa teacher! (She teaches as Gary's
partner, but she is the real thing.)

2. Club Maiko's in Berkeley (San Pablo @ Virginia), Saturday
nights, $12 on band nights, $10 on DJ nights. Teacher is Joseph
Gallardo - the most charismatic male salsa teacher in the East
Bay. Check out www.wildsalsanights.com (He also teaches at The
Beat in Berkeley on Friday nights, Concord and Antioch on other
days).

3. The DanceEasy in El Cerrito (San Pablo) is another choice
for Friday night salsa (they have a website), but it is a very
small venue and I got bored with it very fast.

4. There is also Cafe Monteros in Albany (San Pablo @ Solano)
offering Friday and Saturday night salsa. Even after their
remodel I won't set a foot in there. I have no idea how they
cram in a band, a lesson and dancers in this tiny space. (Room
for 8 dancers?)It would be more of a loud listening than fun
dancing experience. But they do have lessons.

Once you're hooked and advanced, you want to branch out into
the city. I keep Allegro and Maiko's for the East Bay, but for
the city the real gems are the Glaskat on Tuesday (website) and
Cocomo's on Thursdays (website - best dancers!). Cocomo's on
Saturday is too crowded to enjoy. Sure there are other venues,
such as Jillian's and Roccapulco - but they have more of a
dating/couple ambiance, which I don't like. I suggest you also
check out salsacrazy.com which keeps you up on events/workshops
etc.
passionate salsera